SAUDI ARABIA

Saudi man turns savior to a girl he never met

Al-Jouf’s deputy emir announces SR50,000 reward to kidney donor

January 24, 2018
Fahd Ghareeb Al-Ruwaili recuperating in hospital after the transplant operation.
Fahd Ghareeb Al-Ruwaili recuperating in hospital after the transplant operation.

Saudi Gazette report

SAKAKA — A Saudi man from Al-Jouf province has become the savior of an ailing young girl who he had never seen or known when he decided to donate one of his kidneys.

Fahd Ghareeb Al-Ruwaili said he made the decision to donate his kidney after reading the girl’s plea for a donor on social media. In her message, 13-year-old Madawi Al-Shammari said she had no choice but to undergo transplant surgery to cure herself of kidney failure and was looking for a donor.

“I took the decision to donate my kidney to the girl after the death of a very close friend who died of kidney failure four days before,” Ruwaili told Al-Riyadh newspaper.

Someone else had also come to donate his kidney to the girl, but his blood tissues did not match with hers.

Learning about this, Ruwaili said he immediately proceeded to King Faisal Specialist Hospital in Riyadh where he successfully underwent all the necessary examinations.

“Thanks to Allah my blood tissues matched hers and the operation was successful. I am now in good health,” he said.

Ruwaili said the moment he woke up from anesthesia he asked about the girl and was told his donated kidney was working perfectly well in her body.

“I felt extremely happy that I was able to bring a girl who I had never known in my life back to life,” he said.

Deputy Emir of Al-Jouf Prince Abdulaziz Bin Fahd Bin Turki expressed his thanks and gratitude to Al-Ruwaili for his altruism in saving a girl whom he never knew. The prince rewarded Al-Ruwaili with SR50,000 for his noble humanitarian act.

Ruwaili had said he only looked for the reward from Allah while donating his kidney to someone who needed it in order to survive.

He said he did not inform his family or relatives about his plans to donate his kidney until after the operation.

“After they came to know about the operation, my family was supportive and they all hailed my good deed,” he said.

Ruwaili asked all people wishing to donate any organ never to hesitate and to do this as quickly as possible.

“Through your limb donation, you may save a life and make many people happy,” he said.

In a similar case last month, Mohammed Jomaah Al-Banna, a 34-year-old private sector employee, donated his kidney to help a girl named Wijdan Al-Enezi who suffered from chronic renal failure since she was six.

The girl in Tabuk had been undergoing dialysis for 10 years but her health suddenly deteriorated and kidney transplant was the only solution.

Al-Banna had always wanted to donate his kidney to someone in dire need. He went to King Salman Armed Forces Hospital in Tabuk and expressed his desire. The hospital suggested the name of the girl, who had lost all hopes to stay alive considering her grave condition.

Mubarak Al-Enezi, the girl’s father, said he had lost all hopes for his daughter’s survival until the news came to him that a complete stranger had agreed to donate his kidney.

“But Al-Banna’s deed has given my daughter a second life,” Al-Enezi said, adding that words were not enough to thank him and show their appreciation.


January 24, 2018
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